This recent letter from our friends at Montpelier Bikes asks for your help in solidifying funding for street-level improvements to upcoming road projects for Montpelier – take a look and see how you can help!
Hello Cyclists,
In recent weeks Montpelier Bikes has been working with Montpelier Mayor Mary Hooper and Councilwoman Angela Macdonald Timpone in an effort to secure funding for bike lanes in the city. We’re pleased to say that they are in agreement on this, and will put an allocation for this in the Capital Improvement Plan budget that is now being formulated for the next fiscal year.
There will undoubtedly be significant trimming of this budget between now and January when it is finalized, so the fact that it is in the budget now is no guarantee. This is where you come in. You can help make this happen in the following ways:
Residents of Montpelier: Send an e-mail or a call to your city council member NOW telling them that you support funding bike lanes in the upcoming CIP budget. We all know the benefits of this. A secondary advantage that the non-cycling public would like to hear is that more bikes travelling in town can help reduce traffic congestion and open up more parking spaces. Council members’ contact info may be found at the following link: http://www.montpelier-vt.org/page/264/Council-Members.html.
Everyone: Attending Montpelier City Council meetings in support of this will be helpful throughout this process. This Wednesday’s meeting, (the 28th) will include the first presentation of a rough budget, and it will come up from time to time this Fall. Specific times for public comment will likely be in January. Please spread the word about this to other cyclists. Letters to the editor of newspapers are helpful. Your support in words and by your presence in council chambers will be key in making this successful. Please stay stay tuned to help with this effort!
